Emergency highway signal



Patented May 30, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT or -lcl-z EMERGENCY HIGHWAY SIGNAL George E. Archer, South Whitley, Ind. Application July 1, 1938, Serial No. 217,044 4 Claims. wl. 116-2) The invention relates to a novel device to be carried by trucks, vans, busses and other automobiles andadapted to be placed on the highway at a safe distance from the vehicle in case the latter must be stopped for some time due to emergency, such as tire trouble or any other difficulty necessitating that repairs be made or other operations performed while the machine stands on the highway, said device giving a warning to other motorists that danger exists ahead and that caution should be exercised.

The object of the invention is to provide a novel device of the class described of extremely simple and inexpensive nature, one which may be compactly carried in small space, one which may readily be positioned for use, and one which will be equally visible in day-light or in the light beams from headlights.

With the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, description being accomplished by reference to the accompanying drawlug.

Figure 1 is a front perspective view.

Figure 2 is a rear perspective view.

Figure 3 is a. detail sectional'view on line 33 of Fig. 1. g

In the drawing above briefly described, a preferred construction has been illustrated, and while this construction will be specifically explained, it is to be understood that within the scope of the invention as claimed, variations may be made.

A base ii! is shown provided with calks ii and iii to prevent it from slipping upon icy highways, said base preferably consisting of two horizontal bars i3 and it crossed at their centers and pivotally connected at the crossing point by a vertical bolt ii, the calks ii and it being on the outer ends of said bars with the sharp lower ends of the calks ll disposed lengthwise of said bars and the corresponding edges of the calks i2 positioned transversely thereof, preventing sliding in any direction. The bolt i5 is fixedly securedin any suitable way to the bar it and passes rotatably through an opening in the bar iii, any desired provision being made to prevent accidental disconnection of the two bars from 'each'other. The bar i i is preferably somewhat shorter than the bar ii to lie longitudinally of the latter without interference from the calks, when the base is folded.

A standard It is provided to be supported by the base ill, said standard having a foot H at its lower end provided with a threaded opening it to be engaged with the bolt a, the lower end of said opening I! being preferably flared somewhat to facilitate engagement of the foot with -the bolt. The standard is, of course, normally disconnected from the base but may be quickly 5 and easily engaged therewith when the device is to be used. I

Suitably secured to the upper end of the standard I 6, is a vertically elongated signal member i9 which is preferably in the form of casing, said 10 signal member being provided with a .plurality of reflecting jewels or the like 20 which are readily visible either in daylight or in the beams from headlights at night, said jewels or the like being preferably of red glass to give a danger signal. ll

Horizontal strips 2i are suitably secured to the upper and lower ends of the signalling member is and project laterally beyond the vertical edges thereof to provide bearing lugs 22 in which two vertical rods or rollers- 23 are rotatably mounted, said rods or rollers being provided with lateral upper ends 24 by means of which they may be rotated, and being provided at their lower ends with cotter pins or the like 25 to from the bearing lllgs.

Two signal flags 26, preferably red, are normally wound upon the rods or rollers 23 to be unfurled or unwound when the device is to be used, and two normally retracted arms 2'|' are carried by the signalling member ID to be laterally extended and connected with the upper por-' tions or said flags to hold the latter in very conspicuous positions; In the preferred construction, the arms 27 are pivotally mounted upon the back of the member IS, on threaded bolts or studs 28, and wing nuts 29 are provided on said bolts or studs to holdsaid arms in either retracted or extended positions. The flags 2b are provided near their upper outer corners with pockets 39 which may well be stitched thereto, said pockets serving to receive the outer ends 3! of the arms 27 when the latter occupy their extended positions, thereby holding the flags 2b conspicuously unfurled. The arm ends ti are preferably turned at an angle, providing fingers for reception in the pockets 39. I

In the preferred construction, the inner end of each flag 26 is provided with a hem 32 which receives the rod or roller 28, and said rod or roller is formed with openings 33 through which 5 prevent withdrawal is no danger oi. accidentally disconnecting the ilag'irom said rod or roller.

It will be seen from the foregoing that with the base bars i3 and i4 relatively turned in compact relation with each other, the standard It disconnected from the base l0, flags 28 wound on the rods or rollers 28, and the arms 21 secured in their retracted positions, the entire device may be carried in small space. Whenever its use isadvisable, the bars i3 and I4 maybe quickly and easily swung into proper-relation with each other, the foot I! threaded upon the bolt IS, the flags 26 unfurled, the arms 21 extended and engaged with the pockets 80, and the nuts 28 tightened to hold said arms in operative position. The device may then be set in the highway a safe distance from the machine to give warning to other motorists that unusual caution should be exercised.

While excellent results are attainable from the details disclosed and said details may, therefore, be followed, attention is again invited to the possibility of making variations within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:--- i 1. In an emergency highway signal, flag supporting means, a flag connected with said flag supporting means to extend laterally therefrom, said flag having a downwardly open pocket near the outer end oi its upper portion, a normally retracted arm carried by said flag supporting means and extensible laterally therefrom to hold the flag unfurled, the outer end of said arm being provided with a finger for reception in said pocket when said arm is extended, and means for holding said arm in extended position.

2. In an emergency highway signal, flag supporting means, a flag connected with said flag supporting means to extend laterally therefrom, said flag having a downwardly open pocket near the outer end of its upper portion, a normally retracted arm pivotally mounted on said flag suporting means and having a flnger for reception in said pocket of the unfurled flag when said arm is swung to a position-in which it extends laterally from said flag supporting means, and means for holding said arm in said laterally extending position.

3. In an emergency highway signal, a standard, a vertical signal member secured to the upper end of said standard, two vertical rollers extending along the vertical edges of said signal member and rotatably supported by the latter, two flags secured to and normally wound on said rollers to extend laterally from the edges of said signal member when unwound, two normally retracted arms pivoted to said signal member to hold said flags unfurled when said arms are swung to positions in which they project later- .ally, means for holding said arms in said later- .arms pivoted to said signal member to hold said flags unfurled when said arms are swung to positions in which they extend laterally, the outer ends of the extended arms 'being receivable in said pockets, and means for holding said arms in said laterally extending positions.

GEORGE E. ARCHER. 

